The disclosed embodiments relate generally to medical devices and more particularly to an insertion device for delivery of a mesh carrier into a body of a patient.
The disclosed embodiments have application to a wide variety of surgical procedures. For example, one such procedure is directed to urinary incontinence and includes fixing an implant to tissue within a body of a patient to provide support for the urethra. Another such procedure includes fixing an implant to bodily tissue of a patient to support a bladder of the patient.
Mesh carriers may be placed within a body of a patient to provide anchoring points for medical implants. In some procedures, it is necessary for a practitioner, such as a physician, to insert a mesh carrier into bodily tissue of the patient at a location not easily visible to the practitioner. In such procedures, known insertion devices can be used to position a mesh carrier at a first location within bodily tissue and to fix the mesh carrier to the tissue. However, when the mesh carrier is removed from the insertion device, the mesh carrier may be fixed to the tissue at a second location different from the first location. For example, when the mesh carrier is removed from the insertion device, it can be pushed to a location deeper within the tissue than its location when first inserted. In such an instance, over-insertion can occur resulting in misplacement of the mesh carrier. If misplacement of the mesh carrier occurs, the practitioner may remove or pull out the misplaced mesh carrier or implant, which can cause severe or unnecessary trauma to the patient.
Thus, a need exists for an insertion device having a configuration that permits the mesh carrier to remain at a single location within bodily tissue once the mesh carrier has been inserted into the tissue and during removal from the insertion device. A need also exists for an insertion device having a configuration that facilitates deployment of the mesh carrier from the insertion device.